Gear Review: The Red Chili Spirit Lady VCR

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I consider myself a climber in the core of my being, although I’m not particularly strong, skilled or prolific. I feel most myself when I have sandstone grit in my fingernails and hear the windchime call of gear on my harness. But this past year a new identity lodged into the core of my being: mom. Full time working mom. Finding the balance between my job, my infant son, and the person I’ve always thought I was has been one of the most difficult challenges yet. I found myself without beta and full of paradoxes, especially feeling deeply isolated although literally never alone. So, I wanted to share just...

I’ve had about 7 months to ponder what life would be like once I have the little baby that’s growing inside me right now. I’ve always struggled a bit with showing my “excitement” in the more traditional ways that many folks do. Rather, I internalize a lot of those feelings. I remember going on my first few multi-pitch climbs with my husband. He’d say “did you have fun” and I would simply say, “yes.” He would stare at me for a little bit and I could tell by the look on his face he was thinking “jeez, that’s it?” haha. While, inside my little-excited person was jumping up and down...

Review by Jessica Barilone Brand: Red Chili Model: Spirit Lady VCR Retail Price: $80-$125 Specs as advertised: 3 VCR (hook and loop) straps for adjustment Twin tongue for easy opening and easy in / out Synthetic upper to keep shape and size of the shoe leather footbed for comfort and nonslip positioning of the foot Impact Zone EVA cushioning under the heel Red Chili RX 2 rubber 4,2 mm Pros: Comfortable after full day of climbing. Cons: Lacks outdoor durability. The test: I bought my first pair of Spirit Ladies at the beginning of the indoor season last fall. I broke them in quite easily and found that they...

By: Jessica Barilone After a nearly six year hiatus from climbing, the mountains called me back and I made my way to Grenoble, France where I currently reside. When I climbed in U.S. I was mostly a gym rat and only made a few ventures outside, so this time around I was hell-bent on being an outdoor climber. As soon as I arrived in Grenoble I started climbing, at first on top rope but within a few months I was learning how to lead sport and multi-pitch climbs (in French, no less). In March of this year I participated in a Red Rock Rendezvous (RRR) event where I was...

This is a tough article to write. As the founder of a website called “Rock Climbing Women” I have been feeling a little like i’ve been living a lie. Why? I have hardly climbed in over a year. It’s a little embarrassing to admit. I was on a super climbing high last summer at this exact same time, when I suffered from debilitating tendonitis in my right elbow. I decided to take a little break. A little injury turned into something that lasted well over a year. I was extra cautious about the elbow because I’m a photographer and use that right elbow extensively to do my work, so...

Rock Climbing Women Love Stories! <3 Q&A In celebration of Valentine’s Day, we asked members of our Rock Climbing Women Facebook Group to share their stories of how they found love on the rocks. Here’s what Sarah, Laurie, and Lynda had to say. Thank you, ladies! How/when/where did you meet? SARAH: It’s a funny story how we met. I was planning to move to Vegas for a while and so to prepare, I had posted in a climbing forum online. I was looking for some climbing friends and just wanted to put that out there. I had a number of responses, including one from my future significant other. Months...

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